Shaky Science, Outright Dishonesty Among the Anti-Dad Crowd

May 10, 2017 by Robert Franklin, Esq, Member, National Board of Directors, National Parents Organization

Perhaps the sharpest sticking point in the research on shared parenting is that of parental conflict. Those opposed to children maintaining meaningful parenting time with their fathers post-divorce have, in the absence of any other reason/excuse, seized on the notion of parental conflict to deny children access to one parent, typically Dad. So it’s of considerable importance to assess the science on parental conflict following divorce or separation and child well-being.

The estimable Dr. Linda Nielsen has done just that in Volume 23, No. 2 of the journal Psychology, Public Policy and Law just published by the American Psychological Association. Because it addresses one of the lynchpins of public policy relating to child custody and parenting time Nielsen’s article is of the utmost importance. It should be required reading for judges, lawyers and mental health professionals practicing in family courts.